A new study is raising concerns about the safety of public transit workers, as assaults on operators continue to rise across North America.

The report, "A National-Level Hazard: Growing Assaults on Transit Staff," released by the Mineta Transportation Institute, finds that incidents have increased sharply in recent years, with the US and Canada accounting for a significant share of global attacks — many involving frontline employees such as bus drivers.

Researchers say the findings highlight an urgent need for transit agencies and policymakers to address worker safety.

The study points to the unique risks faced by public-facing employees, who often work alone and are responsible for enforcing rules during routine passenger interactions, making them particularly vulnerable to assault.

Assaults on the Rise

The US alone accounts for more than one-third of global assaults, and the report authors, Brian Michael Jenkins and Bruce R. Butterworth, said that reducing the risk to transit employees is an immediate, critical issue that requires attention.

“The transit employees who were attacked were just trying to do their jobs, but their unique exposure as public-facing workers operating alone, easily accessible to their passengers and often being the ‘lone enforcer’ of transit regulations, puts them at higher risk,” said Butterworth.

The report explains that:

• Violence primarily affects public-facing transit workers, especially bus drivers, onboard staff, and isolated employees.
• Bus drivers account for 63% of attacks in the US and Canada.
• Many incidents stem from routine passenger interactions (e.g., fare enforcement).
• Over 85% of attacks are committed by lone individuals rather than groups; typically, adult males between the ages of 19 and 30, using no or improvised weapons.
• There were a few links to organized crime or extremism, suggesting the trend reflects broader societal pressures.

“We urge transit agencies, unions, and policymakers to collaborate and take a serious, systematic look at the data so that specific risks can be identified in each system,” said Jenkins. “We also urge transit agencies to adjust or find procedures that improve worker safety and reduce the risk to transit employees.”